Wellbeing Wednesday: Why I Became a Music Therapist

Welcome back to Wellbeing Wednesday. Usually, I spend a lot of time thinking about how I can best use this space to offer tips, tools, and techniques for other people’s journeys. But this week, in honour of World Music Therapy Week, it feels right to talk a little bit about my own journey into this new phase of my life as a Music Therapist.

People often ask me, “Why music therapy?” or “How did you end up doing this?” The answer isn’t just about a love for music; it’s about a lifelong belief in the power of music to connect us, to heal, and to soothe. It’s about the bravery and freedom that comes when we finally find our own voice.

For me, becoming a music therapist was less of a career choice and more of a consolidation of the many paths my life had already taken. As a teacher, I regularly took on pastoral roles, supporting budding performers to reach their best, not through pressure, but through compassion (what I now equate with the therapeutic ideal of “Unconditional Positive Regard”). I have never believed in knocking people down to make them strong; I believe that only support and connection can help us achieve our best.

My path to becoming a mum was far from smooth, and my passion for perinatal mental health and family support is born from life experience and seeing the power that music has to heal, to unite, to connect and to restore.

1. Beyond the Limits of Language

From an early age, I realised that words, as beautiful as they are, have their limits. I appreciate the irony here: I am a “talker.” I regularly got teased for being chatty when I was young, yet I rarely find the words to express what I really want to say.

When we experience deep joy, profound grief, or complex trauma, language often fails us. We find ourselves “bordered off” from our own feelings because we can’t find the right nouns or verbs to describe them.

The Music Therapy Link: I became a musician first, and then a therapist, because I saw how music could cross those borders without a passport. Music, and storytelling through song, doesn’t need you to be “articulate.” It just needs you to be resonant and truthful.
The Mission: I wanted to provide a space where “I don’t know how to say it” was a perfectly acceptable starting point.

2. Holding a “Safe Haven” for Authenticity

In my work as a teacher and a performer, I see people of all ages crippled by the fear of judgment. They are terrified of hitting a “wrong” note or making an “inauthentic” choice.

The Reframe: By becoming a music therapist, I strive to create a Safe Haven (hence the name!). I build and hold spaces safe from the “public critic,” where experimentation, messy tries, and “beautiful failures” are encouraged.
The Truth: Without the freedom to fail, we can never truly succeed in finding our authentic selves. My work is about holding that space so others can find their own truthful path.

3. The Power of “Shared Resonance”

As a mum and a community musician, I’ve seen how easy it is for us to become isolated in our own “internal weather.” We live in a world of quick dopamine hits and filtered realities that leave us feeling disconnected.

Why I do it: I believe deeply and passionately in Synchrony. Seeing two people, who may not even speak the same language, find a shared pulse through music is truly joyful.
The Goal: My “Why” is rooted in supporting people to find their voices and creativity. It’s about helping a person realize that their internal song is worth hearing, exactly as it is.

The “Identity” Note

As we celebrate World Music Therapy Week, I’m reminded that my identity as a therapist is woven into my identity as a mum, a performer, and a teacher. I do these jobs because I care. I care about the person behind the “performer,” the child behind the “student,” and the heart behind the “history.”

Being a music therapist is my way of helping people bridge the gap between who they were, who they are now, and who they have the potential to be.

The Mission: To help others be at peace with their Hiraeth, in a safe Haven.

I love to connect with others, so let me know your passion and your path to find it. It’s sometimes really helpful to give yourself the time and space to reflect on what brought you to this point in life.